Program Overview

The Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program offers individuals 55 and older temporary paid assignments to provide technical services in support of the conservation-related programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

These services may include conservation planning assistance, technical consultation, and assistance with design and implementation of conservation practices. Currently, the ACES Program supports the work of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Section 2710), the program is patterned after the Senior Environmental Employment Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Senior Service America, Inc. administers the ACES Program as one of four national nonprofit organizations selected by USDA through a competitive process. Through Task Agreements, NRCS awards funds for SSAI to recruit, screen, place, and pay ACES enrollees. After qualified applicants are selected through a cooperative process, NRCS staff oversee the work activities of ACES enrollees while SSAI provides payroll, time record maintenance, record keeping, and administrative support.

To be eligible for the ACES Program, individuals must be at least 55 years old and legally eligible to work in the United States. ACES enrollees are not employees of either USDA or a State agriculture department but receive wages and benefits including paid federal holidays, and vacation and sick leave. Enrollees work from 16 to 40 hours a week.

By law, ACES enrollees cannot displace or reduce the non-overtime hours, wages, or employment benefits of USDA employees; perform work of USDA employees who are in a layoff status from the same or a substantially-equivalent job or function; or affect existing contracts for services.

Who is eligible for the ACES Program?

To be eligible, you must be at least 55 years old and legally eligible to work in the United States.

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.